Maryland
Maryland Gets Low Ranking Heading Into Basketball Season After Coaching Change, Best Player Going to NBA
After an offseason with a head-coaching change, the Maryland men’s basketball team hopes to match what it accomplished last season.
The Terps were 27-9 overall and 14-6, good for second place in the rugged Big Ten in 2024-25. In a preseason media poll going into last season, Maryland was predicted to finish 10th in the conference.
The Terps finished ninth in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll. Maryland didn’t make its first AP poll appearance last season until Feb. 3, when the Terps were voted 18th.
Maryland advanced to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16, where it lost to eventual national champion Florida, 87-71.
Outstanding freshman forward Derik Queen was selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the 13th overall pick. Queen then was traded to New Orleans for the Pelicans’ 23rd overall pick and a future first-round pick.
Onward …
Maryland is a bit undervalued going into this season, which begins Nov. 3 with a home game against Coppin State.
CBS Sports recently published a ranking of the Top 100 And 1 teams.
Maryland was ranked 51st, which sounds on the low side, but maybe not given it has a new coach. Veteran Buzz Williams, who left Texas A&M after six years, replaced Kevin Willard, who went to Villanova.
“It’s hard to know what our expectations are,” Williams said at a recent news conference.
“Yesterday was our 26th practice and we’ve had a lot of volatility in those 26 practices. Maybe four to six of those practices have been what I would deem high-major good practices in regards to the work that was accomplished, the efficiency from start to finish.
“We’ve had more bad days than we’ve had good days. But I don’t think that those 15 players would say the same thing. Their numbers would probably be inverse.”
Given Williams’ comments, maybe the CBS Sports’ preseason ranking isn’t too low, after all.
Williams has the reputation of a hard-nosed, hard-driving coach. His career record is 373-228 (.621) over 19 years of coaching. He was 14-17 at New Orleans; 139-69 at Marquette; 100-69 at Virginia Tech; and 120-73 at Texas A&M.
CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander wrote about the Terps and their place in the Top 100 And 1 rankings: “What a violent swing for the Terps. This team finished 10th at KenPom, won 27 games and made the Sweet 16 … but underwent 100% turnover after Kevin Willard tied himself into knots and then sliced his way out of College Park in the process.
“So, hello, Buzz Williams, who was rumored the past two years to be itching again to switch jobs. The 53-year-old has 373 wins to his name and 12 NCAA Tournament victories [both much more than Willard], providing some short-term optimism for Terps fans.
“Provided with a healthy NIL budget, Williams and his staff brought Pharrel Payne and Solomon Washington along from A&M, in addition to Myles Rice (10/game at Indiana, but has potential to pop), Isaiah Watts (Washington State) and Elijah Saunders (10.4 ppg at Virginia).
“Freshman to know: Darius Adams, a five-star prospect who’s a slender 6-5 2-guard and will get some real run right away.”
So, it seems as if the Terps have a talent base from which to work. The Big Ten, again, is strong top to bottom, with six teams in the AP Top 25 Preseason Poll and six other teams among “others receiving votes.”
Maryland isn’t on either list.
* Purdue: 1
* Michigan: 7
* UCLA: 12
* Illinois: 17
* Michigan State: 22
* Wisconsin: 24
Others receiving votes in Big Ten, and their ranking:
* Oregon: 27
* Ohio State: 30
* USC: 33
* Washington: 35
* Iowa: 37
* Indiana: 43
In the annual Big Ten preseason media poll conducted by the Indianapolis Star and Columbus Dispatch, Maryland was ranked 13th out of 18 teams. As in most preseason polls, Purdue is the favorite to win the Big Ten.
With so much transition in college athletics — transfers and major NIL money chief among them — tradition could play a factor in how a team rebuilds and ultimately performs.
Maryland has a wealth of basketball capital and credibility dating to its Atlantic Coast Conference glory days. Maryland has won seven regular-season championships and four tournament championships. Only in 2019-20 — the Covid year — did the Terps win a Big Ten title, a co-championship they shared with Michigan State and Wisconsin.
It wasn’t that long ago (2002) that the Terps, then in the ACC, and coach Gary Williams won the NCAA championship. Gary Williams was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.
That might not be enough to keep Terps’ fans warm on cold winter nights but it’s a good starting point for Buzz Williams to show the new Terrapins what is possible.
Stay up to date with the Terrapins by bookmarking Maryland On SI.
The 21-year-old second baseman and 11th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft has deep ties to the D.C. region.
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals’ first-round draft pick Chris Hacopian inked his first professional contract Wednesday, a moment made sweeter by the fact it was just a 30-minute drive from home to get to Nationals Park and put pen to paper.
The 21-year-old second baseman and 11th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft has deep ties to the D.C. region. He’s from Potomac, Maryland, and played his high school ball at Winston Churchill, where he was named the 2022 Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year and a 2022 Washington Post All-Met selection.
According to MLB.com, Hacopian grew up a Nationals fan, admiring the likes of Ian Desmond, Danny Espinosa and others. He also played his first two collegiate seasons at the University of Maryland, where his father Derek played before him, before transferring to Texas A&M for his junior season.
With the Aggies, Hacopian hit .319 with 11 home runs and 41 RBI across 42 games en route to being named First-Team All-Southeastern Conference and a Third-Team All-American by Baseball America, the Nationals said in a news release.
After inking his contract Wednesday, Hacopian donned his new jersey and ball cap and stepped onto D.C.’s beloved diamond as a part of the Nationals organization for the first time.
“That was so cool, oh my gosh. I’ve been in the stands like, 100 times, but being on the field is so different,” he said.
Hacopian was ranked 14th among MLB Draft prospects by MLB.com. The 6-foot-1-inch, 210-pound second baseman boasted one of the best bats in college baseball, according to MLB.com, with excellent control over the strike zone and feel for the barrel, along with solid pop.
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The state said the five recently traveled together to “a location in the U.S. experiencing an active measles outbreak.”
Maryland health officials confirmed five more measles cases, all in Carroll County.
“These individuals recently traveled together to a location in the U.S. experiencing an active measles outbreak,” the state Department of Health said in a release.
The agency said others may have been exposed on the afternoon of July 13 in the emergency department waiting room at Carroll Hospital Center in Westminster.
Another measles case recently prompted warnings from health officials in Maryland, Virginia and the District. On June 17, a Maryland resident traveled through Dulles International Airport and visited a D.C. urgent care clinic.
Measles is highly contagious. It can spread through the air through coughs, breathing, and sneezes. Early symptoms can include fevers of over 101 degrees, coughs, runny noses, watery eyes and face or body rashes.
It can take up to 21 days after exposure for the first symptoms to appear, and those who are not fully vaccinated or otherwise immune to measles are especially vulnerable.
The five new measles cases in Maryland bring the state’s year-to-date total to nine. The state health department confirmed three cases in 2025, and one in each of the previous two years.
“All Marylanders should review potential exposure times, watch for symptoms, and confirm they are up to date on their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations,” the health department said.
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Baltimore may be under an extreme heat alert, but residents can dream about autumn, as tickets are now on sale for the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show returning to the Maryland State Fairgrounds in October.
This three-day celebration of home and garden takes place from Friday, Oct. 16 through Sunday, Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Expect hundreds of exhibitors, local makers, home improvement experts, family-friendly experiences and celebrity guests. The show offers everyone the chance to explore the very latest in home improvement, landscaping, outdoor living and decor, the chance to take part in hands-on experiences, and do some holiday shopping all under one roof.
This year’s show will have more than 300 exhibitors, including more than 100 crafters from around Maryland in the Makers Market. There will be unique exhibits, stage presentations and a special appearance by Chase Morrill, Ashley Morrill-Eldridge and Ryan Eldridge from Magnolia Network’s hit series “Maine Cabin Masters.” The three will have two Main Stage appearances, one on Friday, Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. and the second on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 12 p.m.
“As temperatures start to drop and the holiday season comes into view, the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show is a place to gather ideas, meet local experts and get inspired before the busy season begins,” said Dave Paul, show manager, in a statement. “Whether attendees are planning a home project, looking for outdoor living ideas or getting a head start on holiday shopping, the show brings together resources and experiences for every kind of homeowner, maker and DIY enthusiast.”
In addition to the Makers Market and stars of “Maine Cabin Masters”, the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show will have a petting zoo, a Kids Market where attendees can shop from local children, and much more.
Tickets are available online and at the door. Prices are as follows:
Online:
- Adults: $8
- Senior Citizens (60+): $6
- Children (ages 6-12): $4
- 4-Pack Online: $30 for four tickets, valid for one admission each and one day only
At the door:
- Adults: $10
- Senior Citizens (60+): $8
- Children (ages 6-12): $4
- Friday & Saturday: $4 after 4 p.m. at the door only
Special Offers:
- Active and retired military personnel, veterans, firefighters and police officers receive free admission all weekend, along with one guest, with valid ID at the box office.
- Attendees who show a CharmPass app, Light RailLink ticket or eligible transit pass at the box office receive free admission any day of the show. One admission is available per pass.
The Maryland State Fairgrounds is located at 2200 York Road in Lutherville-Timonium.
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